Knee airbag for motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A number of variations may include a knee airbag mounted on a dash panel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The field to which the disclosure generally relates is airbags.

BACKGROUND

Motor vehicles may include an airbag for restraining the occupant.

SUMMARY OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS

A number of variations may include a knee airbag mounted on a dashpanel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Select examples of variations within the scope of the invention willbecome more fully understood from the detailed description and theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle interior showing an airbagaccording to a number of variations;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of an airbag of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows another airbag according to a number of variations.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS

The following description of the variations is merely illustrative innature and is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention,its application or uses.

A number of variations are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which mayinclude a body panel 10 of a vehicle and may be comprised of either asingle panel or one or more panels of metal or other material that arejoined together and may provide a floor pan 14, a toe panel 16, and adash panel 18. The dash panel 18 may be generally vertical and form abulkhead separating a passenger compartment 22 from an engine or frontcompartment 24. The dash panel 18 may have a passenger compartment side23 and an engine compartment side 25.

An instrument panel assembly 26 may be mounted on the dash panel 18 orother vehicle body structure, and may include components such as aheating and air conditioning system, a glove box, and an upper torsoairbag for restraining an upper torso of an occupant. The instrumentpanel assembly 26 may include a cover panel 28 which supports andconceals the components and may have an internal framework which mayinclude a front mounting rail or bracket 27 that may be attached to dashpanel 18 by suitable fasteners at one or more places. The instrumentpanel assembly, including its cover panel 28, the components, and themounting bracket 27 may be sub assembled as a unit and then carried tothe vehicle for attachment to the dash panel 18 by the fasteners.

As shown in FIG. 1, an occupant is seated in the passenger compartment22, with a foot 30 resting on the toe panel 16, a lower leg 32 spacedrearward from the instrument panel assembly 26, and a thigh 34 restingon a vehicle seat.

As seen in FIG. 1, a knee airbag module, generally indicated at 36, maybe mounted on the dash panel 18. The airbag module 36 may include ahousing 38, an inflator 41, and a folded-up airbag 40 that is housedwithin the housing 38. The housing 38 may include a top wall 42, a frontwall 44, a bottom wall 46, and a rearward facing opening 48 throughwhich the folded airbag 40 will deploy. The housing 38 may also have endwalls 52 and 54 as shown in FIG. 2. The opening 48 may be closed by adoor or cover 56, which may comprise upper and lower doors 58 and 60.Upon activation of the inflator 41, the airbag 40 will inflate anddeploy through the opening 48 and force open the upper and lower doors58 and 60. The airbag 40 will inflate to its inflated position shown inphantom lines in FIG. 1 to restrain and cushion the occupant.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the airbag module 36 of FIG. 1. The frontwall 44 of the housing 38 may have flanges 62 and 64 that extend outfrom the housing 38 and engage the dash panel 18. The flange 62 may havea hole 66 and the flange 64 may have a hole 68. Holes 72 and 74 may beprovided in the dash panel 18 to align with the holes 66 and 68 of theflanges 62 and 64. As seen in FIG. 2, studs 76 and 78, which may bethreaded, may be inserted through the holes 72 and 74 of the dash panel18 from the engine compartment side 25 of the dash panel 18 and haveheads 82 and 84 that may seat against the engine compartment side 25 ofthe dash panel 18. After the housing 38 has been seated over the studs76 and 78 that are projecting from the dash panel 18, fasteners, whichmay be nuts 86 and 88, may be installed on the studs 76 and 78. AlthoughFIG. 2 shows two fasteners, additional fasteners may be employed.

As seen in FIG. 1, the airbag module 36 may be mounted on the dash panel18 immediately beneath the undersurface 92 of the instrument panelassembly 26 and may be mounted directly on the dash panel 18independently of the instrument panel assembly 26. The airbag module 36may be mounted just beneath the front mounting bracket 27 of theinstrument panel assembly to the dash panel 18.

In many vehicles the underside of the instrument panel assembly 26 maybe relatively open rather than sealed or closed off, in order tofacilitate access to the interior components of the instrument panelassembly 26 to permit repair service from beneath. Thus, theundersurface 92 of the instrument panel assembly 26 may be defined as aplane at elevation 98 that extends horizontally from a lowest part ofthe various structures such as glove box, heater and air conditioningcomponents, and the associated structural part such as frames andbrackets that make up the instrument panel assembly 26. The airbagmodule 36 may be mounted on the dash panel 18 above the toe panel 16 andthe occupant feet 30 so as to minimize conflicts with occupant comfort.The airbag module 36 may be mounted with its opening 48 generally at orbelow the plane at elevation 98. The airbag module 36 may be mounted ator below the front mounting rail 27, and above the toe panel 16 andoccupant foot position.

By locating the airbag module 36 as described and shown, the airbagmodule 36 is mounted within the passenger compartment 22, independentlyof the instrument panel assembly 26 and not mounted within theinstrument panel assembly 26, and can be removed, replaced and servicedwithout complication. As seen in FIG. 1, the rearward facing opening 48through which the airbag 40 will deploy is located at an elevation evenwith or below the elevation 98 of the undersurface 92 of the instrumentpanel assembly, so that, upon inflation of the airbag 40 to the inflatedposition shown in phantom lines, the deployment of the airbag 40 willproceed without engaging or dislodging or upsetting the parts of theinstrument panel assembly 26 that would need to be repaired and replacedif the airbag module 36 had been somehow mounted within the instrumentpanel assembly 26. Rather, after deployment, there is easy access to theairbag module 36 by removing the nuts 86 and 88 so that the airbagmodule 36 can removed from its attachment to the dash panel 18, and canbe repaired or replaced.

Additional variations are disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a sideelevation view of a vehicle having floor pan 114, toe panel 116 and dashpanel 118. Instrument panel assembly 126 has an instrument panelmounting bracket 127 which may be attached to a dash panel 118. Theinstrument panel assembly 126 includes a lower hanging rear portion 130,which may be desired, for example, to house an enlarged glovecompartment.

An airbag module 136 may be mounted on the dash panel 118. FIG. 4 is anenlargement of the airbag module 136 of FIG. 3 and shows that the airbagmodule may have a housing 138, a folded airbag 40 and an inflator 141.The housing 138 may be made of metal or other material and includes atop wall 142 a front wall 144 and a rear wall 146. These walls, togetherwith end walls, not shown, define a downwardly facing opening 148through which the airbag 40 may inflate and deploy upon inflationthereof by energization of the inflator 141. The airbag module 136 has adoor 158 that is attached to the housing 138 and normally closes off thedownwardly facing opening 148 to protect and conceal the folded airbag40. As seen in FIG. 4, the door 158 may be hingedly mounted at itsforward end by a hinge 160 which allows the door 158 to pivot downwardlyto its position of FIG. 4 upon inflation of the airbag 40. FIG. 4 alsoshows that the airbag module 136 can have a tether strap 164, which willlimit the opening movement of the door 158, so that the door 158 may inturn direct the path of the inflating airbag 40 more rearwardly towardthe occupant's legs rather than deploying the airbag downwardly towardthe occupant feet.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front wall 144 of the airbag housing 138may have one or more mounting flanges 162, which may be attached to thedash panel 118 by fasteners which may be bolts 176 that thread in tointegrally formed nuts carried by the mounting flanges 162.

As seen in FIGS. 3-4, the airbag module 136 may be mounted on the dashpanel 118 just below the instrument panel mounting rail 127. Furthermoreas seen in FIG. 3, the airbag 40 (FIG. 4) is able to successfully deployin the downward direction initially, and then deploy rearwardly aroundthe lower hanging portion 130 of the instrument panel assembly 126 toits deployed and fully inflated position of FIG. 3 in which theoccupant's legs and knees will be effectively restrained and cushioned.As seen in FIG. 4, the downward facing opening 148 through which theairbag 40 will deploy is defined by the lower edges of the rear wall 146of housing 138. The opening 148 is located at an elevation even with orbelow the elevation 198 of the undersurface 192 of the instrument panelassembly 126, so that, upon inflation of the airbag 40 to the inflatedposition shown in phantom lines, the deployment of the airbag 40 willproceed without forcibly engaging and dislodging or upsetting the partsof the instrument panel assembly 126 that would need to be repaired andreplaced if the airbag module 136 had been somehow mounted within theinstrument panel assembly 126. After deployment, there is easy access tothe airbag module 36 by removing the fastener such as bolts 176 so thatthe airbag module 136 can be removed from its attachment to the dashpanel 18, and can be repaired or replaced.

Thus, in FIG. 3, the body of the airbag module 136 may be mounted on thedash panel 118 above the lowest most part 130 of the instrument panel,but the opening 148 is at or below the elevation 198. The airbag module136 is mounted directly on the dash panel 118 and independent from thestructures of the instrument panel assembly 126. Thus, as in the earlierdescribed variations of FIGS. 1 and 2, the airbag module 136 can beeasily replaced or repaired without disassembly of the instrument panelassembly 126. Furthermore upon inflation of the airbag module 136 theairbag 40 is successfully inflated and deployed without causing anydisruption of components of the instrument panel assembly 126, includingthe lowest hanging part 130, such as would otherwise result in thosevehicles where the airbag module 136 is mounted as a part of anddirectly on the instrument panel assembly 126.

Many variations are shown and described. As shown the doors may be a onepiece door or a pair of doors. One or more tethers can limit themovement of the doors to assist in directing the inflation of theairbag.

The following description of variants is only illustrative ofcomponents, elements, acts, product and methods considered to be withinthe scope of the invention and are not in any way intended to limit suchscope by what is specifically disclosed or not expressly set forth. Thecomponents, elements, acts, product and methods as described herein maybe combined and rearranged other than as expressly described herein andstill are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

Variation 1 may include a knee airbag for a motor vehicle which mayinclude a dash panel separating a passenger compartment and an engine orfrontal compartment; an instrument panel assembly mounted on the dashpanel; and an airbag module having a housing enclosing an inflatableairbag, said housing being mounted directly on the dash panel within thepassenger compartment and independent of the instrument panel assembly.

Variation 2 may include the knee airbag of Variation 1 wherein thehousing has at least one mounting flange engaging the dash panel andattached to the dash panel by at least one fastener.

Variation 3. may include the knee airbag of Variation 1-2 wherein thehousing is attached to the dash panel by a fastener and the housing hasan opening through which the airbag may deploy from the housing duringinflation thereof, said opening being generally at or below theunderside of the instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflatesand deploys without disrupting the instrument panel assembly.

Variation 4 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-3 wherein theopening of the housing faces rearward.

Variation 5 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-4 furthercomprising the housing having a door closing the housing opening, andthe door opening upon inflation of the airbag.

Variation 6 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-5 furthercomprising the door having a tether limiting the opening movement of thedoor so that the door guides the inflation and rearward deployment ofthe airbag from the opening.

Variation 7 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-6 wherein theopening of the housing faces downwardly.

Variation 8 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-7 furthercomprising the housing having a door closing the housing opening, andthe door opening upon inflation of the airbag.

Variation 9 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-8 wherein thedoor has a tether limiting the opening movement of the door so that thedoor guides the inflation of the airbag from the downward facing openingto the rearward toward the occupant.

Variation 10 may include the knee airbag of Variations 1-9 furthercomprising the housing having an opening through which the airbag maydeploy from the housing during inflation thereof, said opening beinggenerally at or below the underside of the instrument panel assembly sothat the airbag inflates and deploys without disrupting the instrumentpanel assembly, a door normally closing the opening and a tetherlimiting opening movement of the door so that the door guides adeployment of the inflating airbag.

Variation 11 may include the knee airbag for a motor vehicle comprisinga dash panel separating a passenger compartment and an engine or frontalcompartment; a toe panel below the dash panel for supporting theoccupant foot; an instrument panel assembly mounted on the dash paneland having an underside at an elevation above the occupant toe panel; anairbag module having a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag, saidhousing being mounted directly on the dash panel within the passengercompartment and independent of the instrument panel assembly; and saidhousing having a downward facing opening through which the airbag maydeploy from the housing during inflation thereof, said downward facingopening being generally at or below the elevation of the underside ofthe instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflates and deployswithout disrupting the instrument panel assembly.

Variation 12 may include the knee airbag of Variation 11 furthercomprising at least one fastener fastening the housing of the airbagmodule on the dash panel, the fastener being removable to permit removalof the airbag module from the dash panel.

Variation 13 may include the knee airbag of Variations 11-12 furthercomprising the housing having a door closing the downward facingopening, and the door opening upon inflation of the airbag.

Variation 14 may include the knee airbag of Variations 11-13 furthercomprising the housing having a door that closes the downward facingopening, the door opening upon inflation of the airbag, and the doorhaving a tether limiting the opening movement of the door so that thedoor guides the inflation and rearward deployment of the airbag from thedownward facing opening.

Variation 15 may include a knee airbag for a motor vehicle comprising adash panel separating a passenger compartment and an engine or frontalcompartment; a toe panel below the dash panel for supporting theoccupant foot; an instrument panel assembly mounted on the dash paneland having an underside at an elevation above the occupant toe panel; anairbag module having a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag, saidhousing being mounted directly on the dash panel within the passengercompartment and independent of the instrument panel assembly; and saidhousing having a downward facing opening through which the airbag maydeploy from the housing during inflation thereof, said downward facingopening being generally at or below the elevation of the underside ofthe instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflates and deployswithout disrupting the instrument panel assembly.

Variation 16 may include the knee airbag of Variations 15 furthercomprising at least one fastener fastening the housing of the airbagmodule on the dash panel, the fastener being removable to permit removalof the airbag module from the dash panel.

Variation 17 may include the knee airbag of Variations 15-16 furthercomprising the housing having a door closing the downward facingopening, and the door opening upon inflation of the airbag.

Variation 18 may include the knee airbag of Variations 15-17 furthercomprising the housing having a door that closes the downward facingopening, the door opening upon inflation of the airbag, and the doorhaving a tether limiting the opening movement of the door so that thedoor guides the inflation and rearward deployment of the airbag from thedownward facing housing opening.

The above description of select variations within the scope of theinvention is merely illustrative in nature and, thus, variations orvariants thereof are not to be regarded as a departure from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A knee airbag for a motor vehiclecomprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment and anengine or frontal compartment; an instrument panel assembly mounted onthe dash panel or other body structure and the instrument panel having afree end spaced a distance from the dash panel; and an airbag modulehaving a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag, said housing beingmounted directly on the dash panel within the passenger compartment andindependent of the instrument panel assembly; the housing being attachedto the dash panel by at least one fastener and the housing having anopening through which the airbag may deploy from the housing duringinflation thereof, said opening being generally at or below theunderside of the instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflatesand deploys without disrupting the instrument panel assembly; thehousing further having a door closing the housing opening, and the dooropening upon inflation of the airbag; and the door having a tetherlimiting the opening movement of the door so that the door guides theinflation and rearward deployment of the airbag from the opening.
 2. Theknee airbag of claim 1 further comprising the housing having at leastone mounting flange engaging the dash panel and attached to the dashpanel by the at least one fastener.
 3. The knee airbag of claim 1wherein the opening of the housing faces rearwardly.
 4. The knee airbagof claim 1 wherein the opening of the housing faces downwardly.
 5. Aknee airbag for a motor vehicle comprising: a dash panel separating apassenger compartment and an engine or frontal compartment; a toe panelbelow the dash panel for supporting the occupant foot, an instrumentpanel assembly mounted on the dash panel or other body structure andhaving an underside at an elevation above the occupant toe panel and theinstrument panel having a free end spaced a distance from the dashpanel; an airbag module having a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag,said housing being mounted directly on the dash panel within thepassenger compartment and independent of the instrument panel assembly;and said housing having a downward facing opening through which theairbag may deploy from the housing during inflation thereof, saiddownward facing opening being generally at or below the elevation of theunderside of the instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflatesand deploys without disrupting the instrument panel assembly and thehousing further having a door closing the housing opening, and the dooropening upon inflation of the airbag; and the door having a tetherlimiting the opening movement of the door so that the door guides theinflation and rearward deployment of the airbag from the opening.
 6. Theknee airbag of claim 5 further comprising at least one fastenerfastening the housing of the airbag module on the dash panel, thefastener being removable to permit removal of the airbag module from thedash panel.
 7. A knee airbag for a motor vehicle comprising: a dashpanel separating a passenger compartment and an engine or frontalcompartment; a toe panel below the dash panel for supporting theoccupant foot, an instrument panel assembly mounted on the dash panel orother body structure and overlying a portion of the dash panel andhaving an underside at an elevation above the occupant toe panel; andthe instrument panel assembly having a free end spaced a distance fromthe dash panel; an airbag module having a housing enclosing aninflatable airbag, said housing being mounted directly on the dash panelwithin the passenger compartment and independent of the instrument panelassembly and said housing further comprising a door having a tether; andsaid housing having a downward facing opening through which the airbagmay deploy from the housing during inflation thereof, said downwardfacing opening being generally at or below the elevation of theunderside of the instrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflatesand deploys without disrupting the instrument panel assembly.
 8. Theknee airbag of claim 7 further comprising at least one fastenerfastening the housing of the airbag module on the dash panel, thefastener being removable to permit removal of the airbag module from thedash panel.
 9. The knee airbag of claim 7 wherein the door isconstructed and arranged to close the downward facing opening, and thedoor being constructed and arranged to open upon inflation of theairbag.
 10. The knee airbag of claim 7 wherein the door is constructedand arranged to close the downward facing opening, the door opening uponinflation of the airbag, and the door having a tether limiting theopening movement of the door so that the door guides the inflation andrearward deployment of the airbag from the downward facing housingopening.
 11. A product comprising: a dash panel separating a passengercompartment and an engine or frontal compartment; an instrument panelassembly mounted on the dash panel or other body structure and overlyinga portion of the dash panel and having an underside at an elevationabove the occupant toe panel; and the instrument panel assembly having afree end spaced a distance from the dash panel; and an airbag modulehaving a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag, said housing beingmounted directly on the dash panel within the passenger compartment andindependent of the instrument panel assembly; the housing being attachedto the dash panel by a fastener and the housing having an openingthrough which the airbag may deploy from the housing during inflationthereof, said opening being generally below the underside of theinstrument panel assembly so that the airbag inflates and deployswithout disrupting the instrument panel assembly.
 12. A productcomprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment and anengine or frontal compartment; an instrument panel assembly mounted onthe dash panel and overlying a portion of a dash panel, the instrumentpanel assembly having a free end spaced a distance from the dash panel;and an airbag module having a housing enclosing an inflatable airbag,said housing being mounted directly on the dash panel within thepassenger compartment and independent of the instrument panel assemblyand further comprising a door, the door opening upon inflation of theairbag, and the door having a tether limiting the opening movement ofthe door so that the door guides the inflation and rearward deploymentof the airbag from the downward facing opening.
 13. A product as setforth in claim 12 further comprising the housing being attached to thedash panel by a fastener and the housing having an opening through whichthe airbag may deploy from the housing during inflation thereof, saidopening being generally at or below the free end of the instrument panelassembly so that the airbag inflates and deploys without disrupting theinstrument panel assembly.
 14. A product comprising: a dash panelseparating a passenger compartment and an engine or frontal compartment;a toe panel below the dash panel for supporting the occupant foot, aninstrument panel assembly mounted on the dash panel overlying a portionof the dash panel and having an underside at an elevation above theoccupant toe panel; and the instrument panel assembly having a free endspaced a distance from the dash panel; an airbag module having a housingenclosing an inflatable airbag, said housing being mounted directly onthe dash panel within the passenger compartment and independent of theinstrument panel assembly; and said housing having a downward facingopening through which the airbag may deploy from the housing duringinflation thereof, said downward facing opening being generally at orbelow the elevation of the underside of the instrument panel assembly sothat the airbag inflates and deploys without disrupting the instrumentpanel assembly; the housing being attached to the dash panel by afastener and the housing having an opening through which the airbag maydeploy from the housing during inflation thereof, said opening beinggenerally below the underside of the instrument panel assembly so thatthe airbag inflates and deploys without disrupting the instrument panelassembly.